But why is “La esposa del hombre está sentada sobre él” ?

Note to self: You just finished Level 1: Unit 4: Lesson 7

Well......I watched TV last night but tonight I finished another lesson in Spanish.

Imagine missing a few classes and when you finally make it to class there is quiz, but wonderfully it is stuff you pretty much know. That is something like the lesson seven tonight. I was ready to take my medicine and even retrace my study steps, but I caught a break and whizzed through it all.

I see the last lesson was “Verbos Multiples y Mientras” but I can't really remember what that was.

So in preparation for my next memory lapse, in lesson 7, Unit 4 we worked on possessions and family relations. So you say El niño y sus padres rather than su padres, and dos hermanos e su madre, meaning the possessive indicator matches the object rather than the subject. Is that correct way to explain it?

Also you would say “Estas cuatro personas..” and NOT ...cuatros or cuatras personas. For some unknown reason during the speaking part I was always trying to add an “s” to cuatro when there were personas involved.

BUT you say “La mujer está parada con SU esposo e hijos”, even though the woman is standing with more than one person. Would one say “...”su esposo e sus hijos.”? That one didn't come up.

AND, I didn't remember “e” meant “and”, obviously “y” = and, but “e”? If I once knew it I lost that somewhere along the way.

If I think about it, this is a pretty haphazard way to study Spanish. I remember reading an article by George Leonard about Aikido where he indicated one of the worst type of students were the dabblers, who flitted from one interest to another and never focused on one thing and followed through. I see his point, if you are going to study something why make a half-ass attempt?

Even with just a cursory self examination I see that dabbler pretty much describes me, so if I accept Leonard's point should I simply quit all these things since if you do something you should only do it if you intend to “win”? There is a good chance I'll never win in the race to speak Spanish, or be a good aikdoka or be an interesting animator.

To bring up my blog premise, what should I do with the next 25 years? Am I here to do a half ass job or to win the prize?

Conclusion: I may remain a perpetual novice but I don't want to do things half-ass-ed. I may never really speak Spanish, or make a good animation, or take a great Aikido breakfall, meaning I won't win the prize. So even if I must remain an amateur, from now on I plan to use my whole ass, every last bit of it! No more of the half stuff.

Take that George Leonard!